US 10,533,821 B2 · Toy projectile launcher and method of using same

Abstract

A toy launcher for toy projectiles includes a drum having two concentric rings of holders with an angular offset between adjacent concentric rings, and motorized flywheels to launch the projectiles. The launcher also includes an assembly for pushing projectiles in the drum toward the flywheels for launch, including a separate pushing rod for each of the concentric rings to advance one projectile at a time toward the flywheels. Both pushing rods are simultaneously pushed when a trigger is pressed, but only one projectile at a time is launched because while one pushing rod advances a projectile, the other pushing rod is blocked by a structure on the drum. Successive presses of the trigger cause projectiles to be launched in an alternating sequence in which one projectile at a time is launched first from a first concentric ring, then from a second concentric ring, then from the first concentric ring.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A toy launcher for launching projectiles, comprising:

(a) a drum having a substantially circular shape and comprising two or more concentric rings of projectile holders to hold projectiles for launching, the drum comprising a first of the two or more concentric rings located substantially at a first radius from the center of the drum and a second of the two or more concentric rings located substantially at a second radius from the center of the drum, wherein the second radius is different than the first radius,
(1) wherein adjacent projectile holders within each of the first second concentric rings are each separated from one another by a respective divider;
and
(2) wherein the respective projectile holders in the first concentric ring are angularly offset from the respective projectile holders in the second concentric ring;
and
(b) one or more flywheels positioned in front of a first side of the drum that are adapted to propel at least one of the projectiles when pushed from the drum toward the one or more flywheels for launching the at least one of the projectiles out of the toy launcher.

3 more elements

A toy launcher for launching projectiles, comprising:

(a) a drum having a substantially circular shape and comprising two or more concentric rings of projectile holders to hold projectiles for launching, the drum comprising a first of the two or more concentric rings located substantially at a first radius from the center of the drum and a second of the two or more concentric rings located substantially at a second radius from the center of the drum, wherein the second radius is different than the first radius, and wherein adjacent projectile holders within each of the first second concentric rings are each separated from one another by a respective divider;
(b) a projectile advancement assembly to push the projectiles from the projectile holders of the drum one at a time to launch the projectiles,
(1) wherein the projectile advancement assembly comprises a first pushing rod that is positioned so as to be aligned with the projectile holders in the first concentric ring and adapted to push at least one of the projectiles from the projectile holders of the first concentric ring and a second pushing rod that is positioned so as to be aligned with the second projectile holders in the second concentric ring and adapted to push at least one of the projectiles from the projectile holders of the second concentric ring;
and
(2) wherein the projectile advancement assembly is adapted to substantially simultaneously push both the first and second pushing rods each time that the projectile advancement assembly is engaged;
and
(c) a trigger that, upon activation, causes an incremental rotation of the drum and engages the projectile advancement assembly to push the plurality of pushing rods forward substantially simultaneously toward the drum such that the first pushing rod that is in alignment with a respective one of the projectile holders in the first concentric ring is adapted to mechanically push a first of the projectiles, when loaded, in the respective one of the projectile holders to launch the first projectile, while the second pushing rod that is in alignment with the second concentric ring is blocked by the respective divider that separates the adjacent projectile holders in the second concentric ring from pushing a second of the projectiles substantially simultaneously with the launch of the first of the projectiles.

4 more elements

A toy launcher for launching projectiles, comprising:

(a) a drum having a substantially circular shape and comprising two or more concentric rings of projectile holders to hold projectiles for launching, the drum comprising a first of the two or more concentric rings located substantailly at a first radius from the center of the drum and a second of the two or more concentric rings located substantially at a second radius from the center of the drum, wherein the second radius is different that the first radius, and wherein adjacent projectile holders within each of the first second concentric rings are each separated from one another by a respective divider;
(b) a projectile advancement assembly to push the projectiles from the projectile holders of the drum one at a time to launch the projectiles,
wherein the projectile advancement assembly comprises;
a first pushing rod that is positioned so as to be aligned with the projectile holders in the first concnetric rings and adapted to push at least one of the projectiles from the projectile holders of the first concentric ring;
a second pushign rod that is positioned so as to be aligned with the second projectile holders in the second concentric ring and adapted to push at least one of the projectiles from the projectile holders of the second concentric ring, and
a pinion gear that freely rotates about a fixed position of the projectile advancement assembly, and
(c) a trigger that upon activation, causes an incremental rotation of the drum and engages the projectile advancement assebly to push one of the plurality of pushing rods forward such that the first pushing rod that is in alignment with a respective one of the projectile holders in the first concentric ring is adapted to mechanically push a first of the projectiles, when loaded, in the respective one of the projectile holders to launch the first projectile, while the second pushing rod that is in alignment with the second concentric ring is blocked by the respective divider that separates the adjacent projectile holders in teh second concentric ring from pushign a second of the projectiles substantially simultaneously with the launch of the first of the prjectiles,
whrein each of the first and second pushing rods comprises a respective rack that engages with the pinion gear so that a forward movement of one pushing rod of the first and second pushing rods causes the pinion gear to rotate.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Toy projectile launcher and method of using same

Life of this patent

Toy projectile launcher and method of using same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24